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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29724063">Winter Rose</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manwe_Stark/pseuds/Manwe_Stark'>Manwe_Stark</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire &amp; Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aegon and Rhaenys Targaryen Live, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ashara Dayne Lives, Brandon Stark Lives, Elia Martell Lives, F/M, Jon Snow is Called Aemon, Jon Snow is Not Called Aegon, Jon Snow is a Targaryen, Lyanna Stark Lives, Ned Stark Lives, R Plus L Equals J, Rhaegar Targaryen Lives</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:20:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>873</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29724063</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manwe_Stark/pseuds/Manwe_Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A belated Valentine's Day one shot about my favorite OTP, Ned Stark and Ashara Dayne.<br/>Of the important ones here, there was no Robert Baratheon's Rebellion as such, instead Rhaegar Targaryen and his allies defeat his father Aerys in the war and dethrone him. Brandon marries Catelyn Tully to cement the Stark-Tully alliance in the backing of Rhaegar who earlier, at his father's request to thwart Rickard's plan of southern ambitions against his family, and ordered him to marry him his daughter Lyanne. Inspired by My Father's Son by Longclaw_1_6 with the obvious difference being Brandon is alive, Ned loves Ashara not Cersei and Benjen is in the Kingsguard.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ashara Dayne/Ned Stark, Brandon Stark/Catelyn Tully Stark (mentioned), Elia Martell/Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen(mentioned), Elia Martell/Rhaegar Targaryen, Lyanna Stark/Rhaegar Targaryen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Winter Rose</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ned hands Ashar a Winter Rose wreath</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ned sat in the garden, staring at the winter rose bushes. These were his sister's favorite flowers. Flowers with blue petals and sharp spikes like the cold of winter couldn't cope south of the Neck, making them impossible to grow in the garden of the Red Keep, and she often sends them to Lyi to enjoy even in King's Landing. In the last letter from her, brought by maester Luwin Brandon, he read to him that, together with Elia and little princess Rhaenys, they make wreaths of them, which they then wear on their heads. Lya noted that with their help Rhaenys made a wreath for Queen Widow Rhaella who was very happy about it.</p>
<p>Smiling at the memory, he sat there in the garden of Winterfell, wondering if he would make a similar wreath for his beloved wife, Lady Ashara Dayne. He remembered it as if it had been yesterday when at the Great Tournament in Harrenhal he had met the lady of the court of Princess Elia Martell and the sister of Ser Arthur Dayn, the Sword of the Morning. When he saw her, he couldn't believe his eyes. With long dark hair and haunted purple eyes, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He was so emboldened by her that he did not dare to invite her to dance and it was only with Brandon's help that he danced with Ashara for which he was immensely grateful. Since then, he and Lady Dayne spent a lot of time getting to know each other better, and he fell in love with her.</p>
<p>He knew that she loves watching the stars, drawing sky maps, sewing and gossiping with her friends, Elia, Lady Gargalen and Lady Kyarr, she knows how to move around the court and her creativity knows no bounds. He loves to wear dresses that emphasize her eye color and rides horses very well, which reminds him of his sister Lyanne, although Ashara, apart from self-defense skills, has little interest in weapons. He remembered when he approached her once and she very quickly took a dagger from the sleeve of her dress and put it to his neck before she noticed that it was him.</p>
<p>When the Harrenhall Tournament was over, he invited her to come with him to Winterfell where he would introduce her to his father. They talked a lot about it and he thought a lot about it himself. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, have children with her, and grow old with her.</p>
<p>The father was not convinced of it. Rickard Stark, Lord Winterfell and the Warden of the North, was a serious and resolute man who had great ambitions as was the engagement between Brandon and Lady Catelyn Tully and Lyanna and Robert. In the latter he had his hand, Robert was a brother to him like Brandon and Benjen, he hoped that thanks to this his sister would be happy and they would be close to each other.<br/>Until he found out that Robert would not respect his sister at all.<br/>He talked long and stubbornly with his father and finally agreed to it.<br/>- Son, the marriage I planned for your brother and Lyanna's marriage to Prince Rhaegar tie our case to the Targaryen case against Aerys's insanity. When the wind blows and the snow falls, the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives. That's why I'll let you marry Lady Dayne anyway. I'll write to Lord Dayne about it and then everything will be arranged, but first Brandon will get married and then you- he said.<br/>Then his father was killed by Aerys and war broke out. He married Ashara under the Heart Tree before he went with Bran to fight south to Prince Rhaegar, where he witnessed the return of the dragons who had hatched from Rhaegar's egg, which changed things in the south. Brandon gave him the Wolf's Den, which his father had built early, which was intended for him as the great lord's second son. He lived there with Ashara, where they raised their four children, Robb, Arye, Artos and Rickon. And now they have come to visit Brandon and his family.</p>
<p>He was so engrossed in memories that he didn't notice anyone approaching him. Only when he heard footsteps next to him did he turn to see Ashara.</p>
<p>He smiled.</p>
<p>Ashara sat down next to him.<br/>- What are you doing, Ned?- She asked.<br/>- I thought about making a winter rose wreath for you, Ash- he replied.<br/>She smiled.<br/>- We can do it together- she said.<br/>Ned smiled in agreement. Together, they made a wreath of individual winter roses that grew in the garden. Soon the wreath was ready, nicely done.<br/>- For my Queen of Love and Beauty- he said, and placed a flower wreath in her hair<br/>Ashara pulled him to her and kissed him passionately.<br/>- My dear wolf, I would not replace you with anyone else.<br/>- I wouldn't want anyone other than my shining star.<br/>They only spent the day together when Arya was hanging out with her cousins, Robb sparred with Torrhen and Artos and Rickon were sitting in the castle.<br/>It was a good afternoon with my beloved wife.    </p>
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